Howdy folks! First my seasonal greetings: the best Hillbilly bopping music for a happy new Year.

We begin this 2014 year with a rockabilly (stops-and-god) by NORIS MIMS and his energetic “Sweet sweet baby” on Arlington, alas very short. A nice guitar and a short piano solo to the fade-out end. TED NEWTON is less unknown. He’d been recording on the Bellwood label out of Richmond, VA, “Save me the label“, a cross between rockabilly and hillbilly bop. Short guitar solo (lots of echo in there).

Then two tracks on the Cross-Country (#523/524) label, from “I don’t know where” by a HANK TROTTER. Perhaps he’s playing fiddle, as this is the dominant instrument for two ballads: “Because-because” (he’s doubled on vocal by a certain Billy (The Kid), and “I threw away a diamond”. Nice work.